Items filtered by date: December 2016

In this week’s address, President Obama reflected on the significant progress we’ve made since he took office in 2009. Over the past eight years, we’ve turned the recession into recovery; 20 million more Americans have health insurance; we’ve brought 165,000 troops from Iraq and Afghanistan; we took out Osama bin Laden; and we brought nearly 200 nations together around a climate agreement that could save the planet for our kids. The President reminded us that this extraordinary progress wasn’t inevitable -- it was the result of tough choices, and the hard work and resilience of the American people. It will take all of us working together to sustain and build on all that we’ve achieved -- that’s how we keep America moving forward.

This week, we're bringing back some of our favorite moments captured on camera this year, from dancing in the Oval Office to singing Jingle Bells on the South Lawn. Check it out, then take a look at all the featured videos below.

In September 2009, the President announced that—for the first time in history—White House visitor records would be made available to the public on an ongoing basis. Today, the White House releases visitor records that were generated in September 2016. This release brings the total number of records made public by this White House to more than 5.99 million—all of which can be viewed in our Disclosures section.

Today, President Obama authorized a number of actions in response to the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election in 2016. Russia’s cyber activities were intended to influence the election, erode faith in U.S. democratic institutions, sow doubt about the integrity of our electoral process, and undermine confidence in the institutions of the U.S.

In this week’s address, the President and the First Lady wished all Americans a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. They reflected on the honor of serving the American people as President and First Lady over the past eight years and the progress that has been made. The President and the First Lady recognized our troops and their families for their service, and they encouraged everyone to visit JoiningForces.gov to find out how to support service members, veterans, and military families in your community.

America has long stood as a beacon of hope and opportunity, and few embody that spirit here at home and abroad more than the members of our Armed Forces and our veterans. Throughout his Administration, President Obama has sought to honor the brave men and women who have served this country. This includes foreign-born residents and naturalized citizens who are service members and veterans.

Too many parents working hard to make ends meet also pay more for their children’s basic necessities – including often paying twice as much for diapers as wealthier parents. Though some families take for granted their ability to leverage the tools of the new economy, such as online ordering and subscription services that save time and money, other families face barriers in access to broadband, access to credit and capital, and ability to receive packages at home – increasing their costs for household goods, including those critical to their children’s health and well-being.

Editor’s Note: Staff from the Council of Economic Advisers, the Domestic Policy Council, the National Economic Council, the Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Science and Technology Policy contributed to this post.

Today marks two years from when President Obama announced the normalizing of relations with Cuba. Hear from Julia de la Rosa, a Cuban entrepreneur, on how her life was changed by the President's actions.

My name is Julia de la Rosa, and I am a Cuban cuentapropista -- or Cuban entrepreneur. Over 20 years ago, my husband and I started our own business in Cuba providing lodging and transportation to visitors in our neighborhood in Havana.